Tunneling-machine.



- F. J. TRUMPOUR.

TUNNELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19, 1918.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. J. TRUMPOUR. TUNNELING MACHINE. APPL'ICATION FILED AUG. I9, 1918.

Patented J in. 21, 1919.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

frwerzl'br F. J. TRUMPOUR. TUNNELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I9. 1918.

1,292,159. Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

S. MUN SON, 0]? LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AND ONE-THIRD TO GEORGE S. YEOMANS,

0F ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

TUNNELING-MACHINE.

Application filed August 19, 1918. Serial No. 250,526.

tam new and useful Improvements in Tun- 'neling-Mac-hines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such -as will enable others skilled in' the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements 'in tunneling machines, and the pur-,

pose thereof is to provide a machine which may be quickly advanced as the breast is cut away and which provides for the removal of the excavated matter.

It is furthermore an object of the present invention to provide an improved tunneling machine in which a novel form of shield is provided, in combination with mechanism by which such shield maybe advanced when required.

A further object of my present invention resides in providing means for assisting in placing the sectional tunnel lining in position at each advancement of the shield.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which similar reference symbols indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a tunneling machine constructed in accordance with my present.

invention. I .Fig. 2 1s a front elevational view of the same, with parts shown in section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a detail.

Fig. 4 is a cross secti'onalview taken on the line 44 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the crowfoot.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, which show only one mechanical embodiment of which my invention is susceptible, 1 designates an outer shield which is made cylindrical and out of suitable material, preferably sheet steel, in order to afford the proper strength. This outer shield 1 is formed at its forward end, or carries at such end, a head 2 provided with the usual cutting edge 3. The bulkhead 4 shown in Fig. 1, is rigidly attached to the interior of the cylindrical outershield 1 and affords an abutment against which the cylinder ends of the hydraulic or other jacks 5 may engage. These jacks 5 are arranged in any suitable number around within the cylindrical shield 1, and have their rear piston ends 6 arranged to engage against the forward flanges 7 of the first section of the tunnel lining. The tunnel lining forms the backing against which the piston ends 6 lodge, shield 1 may consequently be driven forward when fluid is turned into the hydraulic jacks.

In accordancewith my present invention I provide an inner shield 8, also of a cylindrical shape. This shield is of suitable metal and is preferably fixed to the outer shield 1 in any such way that there can be no relative rotation between the shields 1 and 8, but such shields may be independently moved longitudinally. A number of keys 9 are employed to so connect the shields 1 and 8, and in Fig. 2 these keys or splines are shown to be four in number. The comparative length of the two shields land 8 is'made plain from Fig. 1, although I do not wish to be restricted to any dimensions.

A suitable housing or circular box 10 is carried by the inner shield 8,'and affords a means for receiving the cylinders 11 of another set of hydraulic jacks, the piston ends 12 of which are adapted to strike against the forward face of the bulkhead 4. These jacks 11 are also arranged in any suitable number and are 8 forwardly independent of any motion of the outer shield 1.

Patented Jan.21, 1919.

and the cylinders 5, bulkhead 4 and outer A ring 13 is attached to the forward end of the inner shield member 8 and is formed with a suitable groove to receive packing rings 14, by which a tight joint is made between the ring 13 and the head 2, which parts have a sliding relation. The ring 13 is also pierced by numerous small passages 15 which are arranged parallel to the axis of the same and are in communication at their rear ends with an annular header 16 for receiving water from a suitable supply as, for instance, through one or more pipes 17.

An annular groove 18 is arranged between an outer head 19 on the ring 13, and a hearing shoulder 20 also on said ring ahd the annular groove 18 is made to rotatably receive a projecting part on an inner rota-- bearing 20 on the ring tween the opposite walls of the groove22 table ring 21. an outer groove This ring 21 is formed with 22 arranged opposite to the 13, and the space beand bearing 20 form races in which to receive the roller bearings 23. This inner rotatable ring 21 is secured to the outer circumferential edges of spaced disks M and 25, and together these parts form a rotating "head which is adapted to carry the cutters and which is provided with the manholes 26 shown in Fig. 2, through which access may be had to the heading in front of the machine for the purpose of removing boulders and other foreign material which cannot be removed through the suction apparatus hereinafter described.

The cutters are preferably four in number and are arranged at difierent radial distances from the center of the machine. The positions taken are those preferably shownv in Fig. 2, in which there is shown one revolving cutter head 27 arranged very close to the axis of the machine and to the left side thereof in a horizontal direction; while a second revolving cutter. head'28 is disposed to the right and about twice the distance from said center. The cutter head 29 at the lower portion of the figure, is mounted still farther from the center, and the fourth cutter 30, shown in Figs. 1 and 3, is mounted very close to the outer portion of the machine.

All revolving pipe through the carried around therewith about the center of the machine when motion is impartedto the head above referred to.' Such motion is preferably transmitted from electric motors 32 through shafts 33 rotated thereby and pinions 34 carried by said shafts 33; the pinions 34 beingarranged in mesh with an internal annular gear 35 carried by the inner rotatable ring 21. The various cutters are, also adapted to rotate about their own axes while they revolve about the center of the machine, and for this purpose the pipe sections .31 are so fitted in the head that they are capable of rotating about axes of their own. They also carry pinions 36 which of these cutter heads are carried on sections 31 which are fitted mesh with a rack 37 carried by an annular rack bar 38.

races made between the rack bar 38 and the adjacent parts of the rotatable ring 21, for instance as shown in Fig. 3. The rack bar 38 is also provided with the external annullir rack 40 with which the pinion 41 carried sllaft 42 is driven by electric motors or other suitable apparatus.

In Fig. 2 I have shown that the pinion 36 directly meshes with the internal gear 37 of between. The cutter head 29 is driven,

inner rotating ring 21 and are the circular section.

the shaft 42 is adapted to mesh. The.

The remaining cutter heads and other r0- tating pipe sections are, however, spaced inwardly from the internal gear 37 and therefore there must be interposed gearing thefreor instance, through two intermediate gears 42 and 43, while the cutter head 28 is driven through intermediate gears 44 and 45. It will be noted that these gears are of different sizes, as I prefer to drive'the various cutter heads at different speeds in order to better accomplish the work. with which they are confronted at their different positions on the head. In like manner a difierent'gear.

ratio is provided by the gears 46 and 47 through which the innermost cutter head 27 is actuated 1 All of the rotating pipe sections by which I the varlous cutters are carried, are arranged to be connected to a central discharge pipe 48 which carries a crowfoot 49 on its forward end. The crowfoot is adapted to re-.

v-olve with the head which carries the cutters, and the four branch pipes 50, 51 52 and 53 forming part thereof are, in Fig. 3, all having an overlapping engagement with the rear ends of the pipe sections to prevent leakage at the joint. 4

At the rear of the outer shield 1 the tunnel sections are built up in the usual manner. These various channel sections are indicated at 55 and preferably consist of the flanged members shown, these members being made in sections of segmental form which are fitted together as shown at 56 in Fig.1 1. They maybe made .up of the desired length so that any number are necessary to complete At the rear of the lining I prefer to prov1de a bulkhead 57 to prevent the entrance of water and air, andthis bulkheadadmits of the passage of the discharge pipe 48, as

shown. I also provide means; whereby the segments of the tunnellining may be carried around to their proper places, and this means consists of an electric motor 58 adapted to drive a pinion 59 in mesh with an internal gear on a rotating ring 61. .This ring is formed with a flange '62 and a groove'63 which coeperate to hold the angular end 64 of a support 65 which carries a second motor 66. The latter motor drives a pinion 67 in mesh with a rack bar 68 carrying a foot 69, and this foot is adapted to frictionally fit between the flanges of the tunnel lining sections, so as to grip and lift same; and if desirable, it may be provided with suitable gripping mechanism for more positively securing this result.

Suitable means as, for instance, a wedge 7 0 is employed to bindthe motor support The action of this latter apparatus is as as shown 31 and are' surrounded by. stufling boxes 54 if ollows:The lowermost segmental section .support 65 around with it, and the se mental section supported by the foot 69 1s thereafter conveyed to the proper point at which it may be fitted to one end of the lowermost section and secured thereto in any suitable manner.

Each section is, in this manner carried around, and, as shown, this apparatus is all carried from the outer shield 1 and advances with said shield so that the gripper foot 69 is always in position to receive the new sections of the tunnel lining.

The operation of the apparatus generally is as follows:

All pressure is first relieved from the jacks 11 and the proper amount of pres sure is applied to the jacks 5 in order to cause the outer shield 1 to advance. There is a suflicient amount of friction between this outer shield 1 and the inner shield 8 and ring 13, so that said inner shield 8 and the head carrying the cutters will also be advanced with said outer shield 1. This advance of the inner shield will take place only so long as there are no obstacles in the way of the cutters, but as soon as these cutters come into contact with the breast the motion of the inner shield will be arrested while. leaving the outer shield to still farther advance. As soon as the motion of the inner shield is arrested water is caused to flow through the header 16 and passages 15 into the heading forward thereof and into the cavity between the head and breast. At the same time the cutter heads are started to rotating by the turning of the pinion 41 and external gear 40 on the rack bar 38, and suction pumps which are attached to the discharge pipe 48 are also put into operation. The head itself which carries the cutters. is also made to revolve by the action of the motor 32. As this action takes place the excavated material dislodged by the cutters will be suspended in the water flowed into the headway through the'passages 15, and the greater'portion of this water and suspended material will be withdrawn through the open ends of the pipe sections 31, crowfoot 49 and discharge pipe 48 by the action of the suction pumps.

While this hydraulic excavating action is taking place the outer shield 1 is being contmuously forced forward and new lining from the heading and and the other motor is then put in I segments are being put in ner heretofore described.

In case boulders are encountered they will be dislodged and fall to the bottom of the heading, where they will make themselves known by contact with the cutter head and face of the revolving head. When these.

place in the manboulders accumulate the water is removed the revolvingparts are brought to rest, after which the manholes 26 are moved therethrough.

tlon is then proceeded with.

Of course the amount of wateris regu-,

lated as desired, and in case of large amounts of ground water the amounts sup lied through the passages 15 need only be slight. The water is also regulated with respect to the different classes of material upon, and the sequence of operations may, of course, be varied, due to difi'erent conditions met with in the breast, such as class of material, amount of ground water, etc.

opened and the boulders re-- The former opera operated It is obvious that those skilled in the art'may vary the details of construction and arrangements of parts without, departing from the spirit of my invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to such features except as may be required by. the claims. i

I claim:

-1. In an apparatus of the character described, movable outer outer shield, means for moving said shield, an inner shield movable independently of said outer shield, independent means for moving said inner shield,- a head movable with said inner shield, cutters carried by said head, and means for actuating said cutters, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus of the character describe the combination of inner and outer the combination of a longitudinally shields arranged to move longitudinally and independent one of another, means forcindependently shifting said shields, a rotary head moving with said inner shield, means fordriving said head, rotary cutters carried in said rotary head, and means for driving said cutters, substantially as described. 7

3. In anapparatus of the character de-' scribed, the combination of .a longitudinally movable ou'ter shield, means for advancing said shield, an inner shield also adapted to move longitudinally independent of said outer shield, means for advancing said inner shield, ahead movable with said inner shield and arranged to rotate, -means for rotating said head, a plurality of rotary'cutters carried by said. head and arranged at different distances from the center thereof, and means for driving said rotary cutters, substantially distances from the center thereof, and means whereby said rotary cutters may be driven at different speeds, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an outer longitudinally movable shield, a head having a cutting edge carried at the front of said outer shield, means for advancing said shield, an inner shield made non-rotatable with respect to said outer shield but capable of moving longitudinally with relation thereto, means for advancing said inner shield, a head mov ble with said inner shield, means for rotating said head, rotary cutters carried by said-head, and means for rotating said cutters, substantially as described. I

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an outer shield, means for advancing said outer shield, an inner shield shiftable longitudinally with respect to said outer shield, means for so shifting said "nner shield, a rotary head movable with said inner shield, means whereby fluid may be introduced in front of said head, rotary cutters mounted in said head, means for rotating said cutters, and means for'conveying 0d the excavated material suspended in the water supplied in front of said head, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a longitudinally shiftable outer shield, means for driving said adapted to move longitudinally independently of said first named shield, means for advancing said last named shield, a rotary head movable with said second named shield, means for driving said head, means for introducingfluid in front of said head, rotary cutters carried by said head, means for rotating said cutters about their own axes, means whereby the material suspended in the fluid may be conveyed away, and manholes in said head whereby access may be had to the heading, substantially as described.

, 8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a longitudinally shift-able shield, a series of jacks arranged to advance said shield, a second inner shield mounted to move longitudinally independent of the movement of said outer "shield,

a series of jacks also arranged to move said shield forwardly, an inner shield rial suspended therein, substantially as described.

9. In an apparatus of the. character described, the combination of a longitudinally shiftable shield, a series of hydraulic jacks for advancing said shield, an inner shield capable of spect to said outer shield, a series of hydraulic jacks for moving said inner shield independently of said outer shield, a rotary moving longitudinally with rehead movable with said inner shield, means i for rotating said head, a plurality of cutters arranged to rotate on their own axes and mounted in said. head at different distances from the center thereof, means whereby said cutters may be rotated at different speeds,

means for introducing fluid in front of said head, and means whereby the fluid and suspended material may be withdrawn from in front of said head, substantially as described 10. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a longitudinally shiftable outer shield, means for advancing said shield, a longitudinally shiftable inner shield movable independently of said outer shield, means for moving said inner shield,

,a non-rotatable ring carried by said inner shield, an inner ring rotatable within said first named ring, means for rotating said inner ring, disks secured to said inner ring,

said inner ring and disks forming a head, cutters carried in said head, and means for rotating said cutters, substantially as described.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a longitudinally movable shield, means for advancing said shield, and means movable with the rear end of said shield for conveying sections 0 tun'nellining to position, ing a ring adapted to rotate within said shield, means for rotating said ring, a motor support adapted to be fixed to said ring and to be carried around therewith when same is rotated, a motor on said support, and a gripping means also carried by aforesaid support and adapted to be shifted 1n and out by said motor said gripping means adapted to engage with and support a section of the tunnel lining, substantially as described. v

FREDERICK J. TRUMPOUR.

f said means includ-' 

